Please, DCX, be serious about making a Wrangler-based compact pickup this time. I had my hopes up with the Gladiator for months, only to hear that the decision had been made not to produce it. C'mon, Jeep, stop me from buying a Ranger! (Sigh) Here we go again...

Read the update. It IS an AEV. I would LOVE to AEV and DC pair up to offer a limited production of this. It would boost both DC AND AEV's reputation. It would help AEV with production constraints by providing a bigger location to produce it and give Jeep owners better chances of getting something like this.

Well, the Gladiator as shown ahs been ruled out, but don't be surprised if they show up with a Wrangler based pickup in mass production if this AEV deal goes through and they're really popular. No Hemi, but I'd expect the 3.8. Chrysler Corp hasn't had a compact pickup since the old A-series way back before the Ram 50, and even if you include AMC you have to go back to the 1980s. Back then it was a Jeep, too.

"We took a Grand Cherokee body and beat its roof mercilessly with a gigantic meat tenderizer until it got real flat and wide and mean and all the essence of suburban mom-mobile oozed out the sides. Then we threw it on a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited frame and called it 'cool.'"

I saw some conversion Jeep Wranglers that were pick ups. There are also some 4-6 door conversions and stuff. its on www.backcountryjournal.com. I cant get the pic i have on so if you go there you can find em">

Looks like an older Wrangler. The top was always removable. So are the doors. That could also be a foreign design - made by Jeep or by a company that had a Jeep license and then evolved its own "next generations."

As for CRD, a four cylinder diesel's in the works. Unfortunately it's made by mercedes, masters of overpriced engines that don't last as well as those made by Cummins, Detroit Diesel, etc.

The Jeep Scrambler (Wrangler pickup) is still expected as a production model; hence all these SEMA vehicles and such. I think the main issue now is where they'll make it, and when. They could do a limited run using AEV, or they could wait for Wrangler sales to fall and build them on the Wrangler line. I find it interesting that they are apparently dropping the Pacifica and PT Cruiser - betting on the success of the new minis and Journey, or perhaps preparing to close one of the minivan plants? - if they do drop the Pacifica they MIGHT be able to adapt the line to build Scramblers. Or they MIGHT be able to put them inn with the Sterling Heights vehicles. That would be pushing the boundaries of flexible manufacturing, though! ... there's also the Dakota plant, which would make more sense, but again, the size differential is pretty huge.

A Wrangler pickup / Scrambler would sure be helpful now. The Dakota's fallen flat -- far too close to the Ram in size and mileage -- and the Scrambler would be both unique and more convenient for those who need a tough pickup but sometimes need to park in small spaces.

A few things happened since then. Chrysler was bought by Cerberus, which immediately started to dump engineers and testers. That limited their ability to add vehicles. The Wrangler's sales were high enough not to need a companion vehicle though that's changed. And then they went bankrupt and now are under Fiat's control (20% ownership is enough for control in this case) and all bets are off.